BEST ON OFFENSE: Few current players in the state have experienced as much during their varsity career than Jefferson's senior running back Steve Strumolo. As a freshman, he was a significant backfield contributor on a team that won a state sectional playoff championship. The following year, his season ended quickly, when he tore an ACL in the opening game against Roxbury. He then rehabilitated his way back into form for his junior campaign and carried 215 times for 1,035 yards and seven TDs.

BEST ON DEFENSE:Malachi Moore of Pope John, a 6-6, 245-pound end, is a capable of shutting down opposing running and passing games. The Boston College-bound senior has the speed to chase down running backs and provide a quick burst off the line. He also has a long wingspan which allows him to knock down passes.

CAN'T MISS GAME: There's always something more at stake when Sparta's crosstown foes, Pope John and Sparta, collide. The teams will meet on Oct. 15 at Pope John.

ONE MORE THING: Three of the eight teams in the division have new coaches this season but only two of the replacements are rookies within the league. That's because Jim Delaney has a new job within the division, having left High Point to take over at Montville. Bill Percey has replaced Delaney at High Point, while Brian Carlson is the new coach at Pope John, where he replaces Vic Paternostro, the winningest coach in state history, who exited with a 373-68-5 record over 43 years.

BEST ON OFFENSE: Jamie White of Delbarton rushed for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns in 2010 -- excellent numbers for a sophomore who didn't even start until the fifth game of the season. Now a junior, he generated his yardage on 179 carries, for an average of 6.1 yards per attempt.

BEST ON DEFENSE: A.J. Garcia's play at linebacker with a key element to Randolph's success last year, when the team staged an 11-1 campaign that ended with a 19-0 victory over Montclair in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 state playoff final. That victory was the team's third shutout and seventh game of the season allowing one TD or less. He's back for his senior year after totaling 113 tackles with 11 sacks and two interceptions in 2010.

CAN'T MISS GAME: This year's division favorite travels to last year's champion on Oct. 29 when Delbarton plays at Randolph on a homecoming Saturday night game in Randolph. Delbarton will try to avenge a 21-14 home loss last season. Delbarton won 27-0 at Randolph in 2009 in the first-ever meeting between the schools.

ONE MORE THING: This is the third year of play in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference. Four of the eight teams in this division have already won state sectional playoff championships since the inception of the league. In the 2009 season, Roxbury won North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 while West Morris was the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 winner. And in 2010, Randolph won North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 while Morristown captured the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 title.

BEST ON OFFENSE: Now a junior, Justin Goodwin proved to be one of the top young players in the area last year through his all-around work for Madison's 12-0 team that won the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 state playoff crown. Competing on a squad that was full of offensive weapons, he rushed 101 times for 986 yards and 16 TDs. He also had 16 catches for 301 yards and four additional touchdowns. His overall total of 22 TDs and 132 points was second-best in Morris County behind since-graduated Tom Cabarle of West Morris (25 TDs, 150 points).

BEST ON DEFENSE: Billy Russell, a junior linebacker for Wallkill Valley, always seems to be near the ball. He covers plenty of ground in the middle of coach Daryl Jones' 3-3 stack defense and will be looked upon to lead the unit after finishing with 90 tackles in 2010.

CAN'T MISS GAME: Lenape Valley has no doubt circled Oct. 14 on its calendar. That's when it plays as the host to Madison at 7 p.m. in Stanhope. When the teams met last year on Oct. 30 in Madison, Lenape Valley was 7-0 while Madison sported a 6-0 record. Madison rolled to a 42-0 victory.ONE MORE THING: This division includes four teams from Morris County, four from Sussex and one from Warren. In the first two years of its existence, the Morris teams have 22-18 against the other two areas (10-10 in 2009, 12-8 last year).

BEST ON OFFENSE: Quarterback Luke Foukas of Pequannock emerged on the scene in a big way in 2010. Upon earning the starting job as a sophomore, he debuted with season numbers that included 99 completions in 170 attempts for 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns while helping his team to a 6-3 finish that included a berth in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 playoffs. Pequannock is competing in North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 for the first time this year and the presence of Foukas will help make the team a championship contender.

Aaron Houston/For The Star-LedgerDanny Badolato, Mountain Lakes

BEST ON DEFENSE: The Mountain Lakes secondary is fortified by the presence of senior safety Danny Badolato. He's coming off a 2010 season in which he totaled 35 solo tackles among 70 total. He also recovered two fumbles and intercepted a pass. CAN'T MISS GAME: Pequannock plays at Mountain Lakes on Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. The first two NJAC meetings between the teams have been entertaining games, with Mountain Lakes pulling away to defeat Pequannock, 47-27, at home in 2009 and scoring twice in the fourth quarter last season for a 34-17 decision in Pequannock. ONE MORE THING: Pequannock will have to work extra hard to succeed. Summertime renovations were supposed to include the installation of artificial turf at both Golden Panther Stadium and the adjacent practice field. Instead, the discovery of contaminated soil has delayed completion of the work indefinitely, forcing the team to practice on the softball outfield and hit the road for its games, possibly for the entire season